A Focus on Partnering and Collaboration Drove Readiness Throughout 2025.
In a year marked by unexpected challenges, industry professionals and uniformed services partnered across the Society to come together and reinforce the bond that is critical to our national security. SAME members found ways to engage and Build the Bond in new and innovative ways. The Career Transition Workshop and Capital Week saw new records of engagement, and the Small Business Conference attracted thousands of industry, government, and military professionals eager to tackle the most pressing issues facing our nation.
In addition, 2025 saw SAME’s global presence expand with new efforts like the Indo-Pacific Regional Summit, the establishment of new Posts in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific, and the creation of a new STEM Camp in Hawaii. The expanded presence of the Society through Posts, regional, and national programs illustrates how important the mission of fostering stronger connections between government and industry is as we head into a new year.
As we celebrate the achievements of the past year, we invite you to take a look back at the highlights that made 2025 a truly memorable year. A heartfelt thank you to all our members, contributors, and stakeholders for making 2025 an extraordinary year for SAME and paving the way for an even brighter success in 2026!
Career Transition Workshop: Bringing Talent and Industry Together
The 2025 SAME Career Transition Workshop, held February 12-14, 2025, brought a record 80 jobseekers to meet in person with representatives of over 40 top-tier companies seeking experienced and talented transitioning and job-seeking military professionals. The workshop was an incredible opportunity for transitioning professionals to meet face-to-face with companies looking to hire skilled employees.
Read More from the 2025 CTW
Capital Week 2025: Programs, IGE, and the Foundation in the Spotlight
The 2025 Capital Week broke attendance records with more than 800 attendees coming together at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center to support the SAME Foundation, gain valuable insights on upcoming programs across the uniformed services and federal agencies, and discuss pressing issues facing the A/E/C industry. Between the briefing sessions, collaborative discussions with government leaders, and industry-government engagement summits, attendees came out of the week energized and positioned for success in a dynamically shifting environment. Capital Week also hosted the third annual IGE Summit, which brought together experts and senior leaders from government and industry on the topics of Elevating Partnering Across DOD Projects and Aligning AI with A/E/C.
Adding to the energy of 2025 Capital Week, the SAME Foundation hosted their annual Fundraising Reception to kick off the conference, spotlighted by a Silent Auction complete with items generously donated by SAME members from across the Society. In total, the auction helped to raise over $72,000 for the Foundation and its programs to foster engineering leadership.
Read More from the 2025 Cap Week
JETC 2025: A Focus on Collaboration, Leadership, and the Warfighter
The 2025 Joint Engineer Training Conference & Expo officially kicked off on May 13 with professionals from across the military engineering community coming together in Louisville, Ky., to deliver the mission for our federal agencies and support warfighter readiness and critical infrastructure.
SAME National President Sharon Krock, SPWS, F.SAME, honored the 2024–2025 Leader Development Program (LDP) graduates and also introduced the 2030 SAME Strategic Plan, launched in January 2025, which centers on three interconnected goals: Drive Partnerships, Deliver Solutions, and Develop People. These pillars set the stage for a dynamic conference featuring General Sessions, collaborative Industry-Government Roundtables, interactive Mega Sessions, record-breaking educational programming, and countless opportunities to make those important connections.
Later, outgoing SAME President Krock administered the oath of office to Mike Huffstetler, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, F.SAME, as the 106th National President of SAME, officially commencing his term as the next National President. In his introductory remarks, he shared his vision for the coming year and his stated theme to “Build the Bond:” the 105-year bond forged by SAME between industry and government in support of national security.
Read More from the 2025 JETC
2025 Camps Season: Starting STEM Careers
The SAME Engineering & Construction camps provide a rigorous experience for students interested in exploring the value of STEM skills and careers. During the weeklong camp, students gain a sense of what it takes to become a STEM professional and learn what options exist to explore that interest from high school to college and beyond.
This year, the 2025 camps season started strong and ended even stronger! This summer, nearly 300 students arrived at :
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Miss.
- U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, N.C.
- U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center, Port Hueneme, Calif.
- U.S. Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Fla.
- U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Each camp provided its own personal touches in providing the students unique challenges through STEM focused activities and competitions.
Working professionals from the A/E/C industry and government gave their time and helped take the motivated high school students through the week. Hands-on projects, lectures, and team-building exercises were designed to help the students understand what it might be like to pursue a career in the A/E/C profession through the lens of the armed services.
Read More from the 2025 Camps Season
Indo-Pacific Regional Summit: Strengthening Critical Partnerships
The 2025 Indo-Pacific Regional Summit in Honolulu, Hawaii, was the first time SAME brought together military leaders and industry partners for high level strategic discussions on the future of the Indo-Pacific region. The summit welcomed over 1,200 participants. Representing industry firms of all sizes, numerous military/federal agencies throughout the region, and multiple international U.S. allies, this event epitomized what is possible through committed industry-government engagement.
The summit marks the culmination of a year-long focus on Indo-Pacific engagements within the Society and presented an unparalleled opportunity for businesses and agencies to connect, strengthen relationships, and build the bond that will support U.S. interests in the region.
Read More from the 2025 Indo-Pacific Regional Summit
2025 SAME Small Business Conference: Delivering on the Mission
SAME’s 2025 Federal Small Business Conference in Phoenix, Arizona welcomed over 5,000 government and industry professionals for three days of connecting, learning, partnering, and working to Accelerate Readiness for our nation. The conference delivered on its critical mission: be the platform of choice between government and industry to build trust, relationships, and partnership in support of our national security.
The three day conference was packed full of opportunity briefings, educational sessions, and networking events that attracted attendees from around the world. Small and large businesses and federal representatives joined with uniformed services to discuss and strategize over the most pressing issues facing the industry.
Over 500 companies filled the exhibit hall with displays of cutting edge technology and industry-specific solutions. Education sessions included the popular Army Mega-Session, a special session featuring the Ukraine State Special Transport Service, and the packed Mega-Series covering the Sentinel program.
Read More from the 2025 SBC
SAME Foundation: Fostering Engineering Leadership for the Nation
From nurturing the Leader Development Program and sending 25 Camp Mentors to SAME’s Engineering & Construction Camps this year, to building its STEM Pathways for Indigenous Youth Program which brought STEM programs to underserved communities across the country, the SAME Foundation continued to make a powerful and lasting impact in 2025.
The Leader Development Program graduated 17 students of the 2024-2025 cohort, and welcomed 20 new members of the 2025-2026 class in May. Fully funded by the Foundation, class members undertake an intensive curriculum designed to build leadership and professional skills. Participants will complete a capstone project aimed at addressing a significant engineering challenge that will have a long-lasting impact on the industry and the Society.
The STEM Pathways for Indigenous Youth program continued to make great strides with Indigenous communities in 2025. The Foundation facilitated the investment of over $90,000 to schools and programs designed to bring STEM and A/E/C fundamentals to young people with historically limited access to these subjects. This year, the program helped to sponsor mini-grants, STEM and STEAM events, camps, and demonstrations in Alaska, Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Oklahoma, setting the stage for even more outreach in 2026.
Read the SAME Foundation’s 2024 Impact Report
Collaborative Events and Programs
SAME’s world-class events and programs bring together members from across the country and globe for unique training and education opportunities, multidisciplined discussions on the toughest engineering challenges facing our nation, and unparalleled networking. Stay in the know on upcoming events and relive past events here.
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From Fighter Jets to Fortune 500: How the Orange County Post Helped Launch A New Career
The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Orange County Post partnered with industry leaders to create a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification program to help open doors to new career opportunities for military members. -
Building The Bond That Drives The Mission: SAME’s 2025 Year In Review
2025 was a year of building on success at SAME. Read the Year in Review and watch the wrap up video of 2025. -
Rooted in Service: Father and Son SAME Fellows Share Bonds That Transcend a Generation
SAME Fellows and father and son Clinton and Darrin Willer share their memories of service and commitment to the nation, the engineering profession, and the Society. -
Connecting Industry and Government: SBC 2025 Delivers on the Mission
The 2025 SAME Small Business Conference in in Phoenix, Arizona, finished an amazing three days! Read the wrap-up and watch the videos of the week! -
Guest Post: The Top Federal Opportunities for FY2026 in the Government Contracting Market
Deltek outlines the top federal opportunities for FY2026 and provides in-depth analysis for the government contracting market.
